Placebos
Placebos
Placebos (/pləˈsiboʊz/; singular: placebo) are substances or treatments that are designed to appear as if they are real medical treatments, but they do not have any active ingredients or therapeutic effects. The term "placebo" is derived from the Latin word "placebo", which means "I shall please".
Placebos are often used in clinical trials as a control group to compare the effects of the actual medication or treatment. The placebo effect refers to the phenomenon where patients experience an improvement in their condition due to the belief that they are receiving treatment, even though the treatment has no therapeutic effect.
History
The use of placebos in medicine dates back to ancient times, but the term "placebo" was first used in a medical context in the 18th century. The concept of the placebo effect was first scientifically investigated in the 20th century.
Types of Placebos
There are different types of placebos, including inert placebos and active placebos. Inert placebos do not have any pharmacological activity, such as sugar pills or saline injections. Active placebos, on the other hand, contain substances that can produce some effects, but these effects are unrelated to the condition being treated.
Use in Clinical Trials
In randomized controlled trials, one group of patients is given the actual medication, while another group is given a placebo. This allows researchers to determine the effectiveness of the medication by comparing the outcomes of the two groups.
Ethical Considerations
The use of placebos in clinical trials raises ethical issues, as it involves giving patients a treatment that is known to be ineffective. However, it is generally considered ethical if the patients are fully informed and give their consent, and if there is no known effective treatment for their condition.
Related Terms
- Nocebo effect: This is the opposite of the placebo effect, where patients experience negative effects due to the belief that they are receiving a harmful treatment.
- Double-blind study: This is a type of study where neither the patients nor the researchers know who is receiving the actual medication and who is receiving the placebo.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Placebos
- Wikipedia's article - Placebos
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